Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

Page 26 text:

THE BEER DRINKERS ' Society was formed in 1989. The society had 50 members at K-State and another 50 members around the state. (Photo by J. Kyle Wyatt) MEMBERS OF THE Beer Drinkers ' Society, or Beta Delta Sigma, huddle around a fire barrel for warmth during a party. The BDS sponsored the party which featured four kegs and two bands. (Photo by J. Kyle Wyatt)

Page 25 text:

A CLASS OF country dancers the new steps they have been introduced to at the Ranch Saloon. Lessons were offered throughout the year, free of charge, at several bars in the Manhattan area and the Union Station. (Photo by J. Matthew Rhea) A COUPLE SHARES A moment while th ey on dancing at the Ranch Saloon. The various dances the lessons covered were the two-step, ten-step and the Cotton-Eyed Joe. (Photo by J. Matthew Rhea)

Page 27 text:

HERE ' S TO YOU Society bonds with beer BY TED KADAU ONE CLUB founded by students epitomized true party animals. Beta Delta Sigma, the Beer Drinkers ' Society, held meetings parties weekly for its 50 active members. The society was formed in 1989 by three friends who attended Goddard High School. We were all friends in high school, and we all drank together. In fact, each of us spent something like $1,500 on beer over a period of one year, said Dale Silvis, sophomore in business administration and BDS founding We all just got to talking and decided to start a Beer Drinkers ' Society. The quality of the beer was not a major issue with the members. If we are going for flavor, we will usually buy Michelob Light, but if we are just out to get drunk, we like Mickey ' s Big Mouths. Usually whatever is cheapest will do, Silvis said. If we have the money, we will buy a keg. It ' s kind of funny. The guy who owns a liquor store knows us now, and if we are a little short of money, he will just go ahead and let us have the keg. We give him so much business that he doesn ' t mind. The Beer Drinkers ' Society was not recognized as an official club by the University, but strived to be organized. The club itself is a lot more organized now than it was when we first started the BDS. We have a constitution, and there is a definite hierarchy, said Jeff Blasi, freshman in engineering and BDS member. The person who can consume the most beer is president. Although the club had a selected leader, the president didn ' t have any real obligations. The president did, however; have some power over the members. When the president wants to party, we all have to get together and party, Blasi said. At one time we even thought about getting a house, and possibly going to the alumni from the club to try to receive money, but it just never panned out, Blasi said. The BDS K-State chapter had 50 members, but Beta Delta Sigma more than twice that number across the nation. Overall, we have over 100 members-50 here at K-State, and about 25 at KU—although the KU chapter is not as organized. The rest of the members are pretty well spread out over different colleges. In fact, the original president is in the Navy right now, Silvis said. BDS allowed new members into their group on a regular basis. Really anyone can join. We do have to be a little bit selective, though, Silvis said. The new members have to be genuine power drinkers, and they have to go through the initiation ceremony called ' crossing streams ' . We do have two members in the club, Blasi said. When all the beer had been consumed, and the party had died down, the premise of the Beer Drinkers ' Society lay within the fun of socializing. The fact they all liked to drink beer linked the members. It ' s not that we ' re all a bunch of alcoholics, Blasi said . We do study, but in the end, I guess, we just stand for having a good time.